"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands........" 1 Thessalonians 4:11

Thursday, June 4, 2009

One Never Sleeps Late In The Barnyard

Remember I said that since school is now out, I could probably sleep a little later? Well...all of you who have barn yard critters know sleeping late is not in the manual of owning barnyard critters..... also, my internal clock is set to automatically awaken at 5:45, with the help of Salem cat, who wants to go out. By then the roosters hear me (somehow)....they start to crow....
by 6:30 I am out to take care of the barnyard gang. Gideon looks as if to say "what took you so long??"
This week, I also introduced the new chicks to their hutch out in the hen house. They love it!


But I get the disapproving glare from Rose, the ruler of the nest boxes, who knows that something sinister has been about in the hen house and those babies .......well, if they were hers she wouldn't...........criticism, even from a sassy old hen!

Meanwhile, Charlie is daring Moses to show off his flying skills to Annabelle. Even if I am out in the pens......and he takes Charlie's dare.....and flies over the safety of the barnyard pen. I chase this silly Moses around and around until I finally catch him....



and give his wings a much needed trim.......





oohhh, can you tell he is not at all happy with me?
You were meant to float on the water "Moses" ....not fly away!




In the middle of all of this, Gideon takes a quiet retreat out of the hen house and away from all of the squawking.......







everyone wants the nest box on the far left......even though the other nest boxes are made the same and have just as much hay.....







a squabble, turns into a feather pulling, beak pecking , fight. That all calms down and I get busy out in the garden until I hear the babies cry out. I run to the hen house to find.....







another bullsnake.....inside of the baby chick's hutch, wrapped around a little yellow chick. I had been out pruning the trees and all I had in my hands were









these pruning shears. I grabbed the snake's body just enough to hang on to it, but not to cut it into. I dragged it out of the hutch still wrapped around the baby chick whose head was now dangling. I made it to our patio, gave the snake a good thump on the hard cement ground, and he uncurled and the baby chick went rolling across the patio. The snake got put in a bag and taken down the road a few miles to a new place to live.....and the baby chick....











was just shaken up and is now doing fine.










Here is Rose....telling me she told me so, sitting in the far left nesting box.














25 comments:

Wish on a Whisker said...

Thank goodness the baby chick is okay. My heart sank when I was reading what happened to it! I would have a hard time dealing with those snakes. Your animals are precious! I enjoyed your snapshots! ~Mandy

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed your pics too and am so relieved the baby chick is ok.

Nancy M. said...

My guineas tend to know when I am trying to sleep, they always come to my window hollering. I am so glad your chick was okay. I probably wouldn't have been so nice to that snake. Gideon is very handsome!

Anonymous said...

oh...i really enjoyed that.

thanks.
:-)

Anonymous said...

I too am an early riser and now that I can sleep in I am just sleeping until 5:30 am =(

What a scary story with the snake...
You are so much braver than I!

Old Centennial Farmhouse said...

You sure know how to tell a story...you had me all the way!
LOVED that the baby chick was alright, and I doubt I would have been as heroic as you if I'd seen that snake! Way to go, farmer!
XOXO
Joni

Chicken Herder from Westville said...

I thought the baby chick was a goner!@

My roosters hear the back door shut/slam and they start crowing no matter what time it is, even in the middle of the night.

Lisa @ Life with 4! said...

I love your farmyard stories that you tell. I would have taken the snakes head off... nobody messes with my chicks!(except the coons, and the dog has been taking care of them lately).
I just moved our chicks into their own little "nursery" box in the main hen house too. So far, so good! Just some curiosity from both sides.
It's funny.. my hens prefer the far left nesting box also.

KathyB. said...

Snake's dinner foiled, chick saved, and all is well in your world tonight! Ahhhh, you can sleep well. But tomorrow, the rooster will waken you and because you are blessed to live where you can keep the wonderful flocks and interesting pets, and have visiting wild life ( yes, even snakes ) you get to wake to new adventures! I enjoyed this post Kathleen.

TxFarmhouse said...

I can't believe you were out there to save that baby chick...that's awesome! I was thinking he was a gonner when you said his head was dangling. Great pics!

Patty H. said...

So enjoyed reading this post! Loved your pictures. So much excitement at your place.
Hope you have a blessed day

Sunny said...

Great story and pics, Kathleen! Aren't you glad you didn't sleep in?? Love your stories... makes a nice break in my day!

EBet said...

My ducks would be so jealous of your ducks, mine can only get two inches off the ground, and look really funny in the process. How lucky for your chick, I only have to shoo cats away when I have the lid to the box open.

Connie said...

Gideon and Rose both look a little miffed at you, Kathleen. HA!

I'm so glad you saved the chick and were able to come to the rescue. I am also so glad I don't live where there are snakes all about. YIKES! Have a good weekend! :D

Mel said...

What is with all these left box nesters? Mine do the same!

How did Mr. Roo get to your farm, LOL Gideon & Roo could be twins.

I still have goose bumps from the snake picture, and the story about the snake being around the chicks head. YIKES

You need some sort of an award, I couldn't have gotten within 10 feet of that snake, what a lucky chick, to have a brave owner such as yourself.

Yeap, that's farmers schedule, up with the birds...

Loved your pictures (all but the snake) thanks for sharing.

Hugs, Mel

Paula said...

Oh no! I'm sorry you're still having snake problems Kathleen- but I'm glad you were there to save the day! Poor little chickie!

Grammyof13 said...

Bless you for saving the day. I never understood the theory of letting a snake go - they are all scary creatures as far as I am concerned. And who is to say, it won't make its way back and get the chick for good next time.

I sound like a pessimist don't I?

Lanny said...

You have been told! What makes a good chick sitter (baby sitter) when you have snakes?

LindaSue said...

Your kindheartedness is much greater than mine - the shears would have been used in a way other than to carry off the snake! Love your updates even when they are so unnerving - poor chicks - all they want to do is scratch and eat!
We awaken when DH wakes up - no alarms and not really much noise (we have an AC in our bedroom and it masks a lot of outdoor noise). The goats will let me know if I've waited too long to open their pens - lots of noise when they hear the house door open and shut- "she's comin' gripe - start griping now"

Conni said...

I'm awfully glad the baby chick is okay!

Jen's Farmily said...

Wow, you got there just in time!!!

Good save!

Gina E. said...

Awww Kathleen, that is the cutest story! And don't the photos make it special! Ken was admiring your chooks (this Aussie term covers both roosters and hens), and asking what breed they were.
I don't know what I'd do if I found a snake in the hen house...snakes do occasionally appear in suburban backyards in Melbourne, but not often enough for us to become blase about dealing with them! More likely to ring the Zoo and ask them to come and fetch it!!

Childers Corner said...

I'm glad the chick was ok! Hopefully the bull snake won't come back lol. I wonder why they all want the far left box lol. Must be a chicken prestige thing.

DayPhoto said...

I was afraid you were going to say the chick was dead.

You are much finer that I ...if I had tools I would have killed the snake!

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com/

Gingerbreadshouse7 said...

That looks like the same snake you gave freedom too awhile back :o(.. best kill it and be done with it,next time the next chick may not be so lucky...You have to protect ...Ginny